barry@ames-lm.UUCP (05/04/84)
[]
The years since "Star Wars" have been fat ones for SF film
lovers. Lots of good things to see (especially if you're not *too*
choosy[:-)]). But have you noticed how few of "our" favorite SF books
get made into movies? Lots of original screenplays, but rarely a
"Dune". If you're like me, you have some pet candidates for SF books
you'd like to see on that silver screen, stuff you know would knock
'em dead at the BO (that's showbiz talk for box office)... well,
here's your chance to tell the world what it's missing; what SF
book/story would you like to see become the next big-budget,
brilliantly directed-and-acted film extravaganza? Why? Who would you
cast for what? Who should direct?
Rather than simply sitting back and waiting for the inevitable
and overwhelming popular response to this fascinating question, I'll
go ahead and kick this off myself. I nominate "The Stars My
Destination", by Alfred Bester. It has all the action and visual
splendor any "Star Wars" fan could ask for, and a proven plot (it's a
pretty direct lift from "The Count of Monte Cristo"). The pace is
headlong, yet the story has more levels than just the up-front
action. Opportunities for spectacular SFX are many: the Burning Man,
flashing from place to place; the New Year's Day atomic attack on New
York City, seen through the eyes of Lady Olivia, who is blind except
in the infrared region; the guests at Presteign's party arriving in
every form of conveyance known to man.
And the costumes! Period clothes from every period, side by
side. Architecture huge and Baroque. The desolation of space. And a
man with the face of a tiger.
Steve Spielberg should direct, I think. Casting I'm less certain
of; probably Margaret Avery ('Heather LaLache' in "The Lathe of
Heaven") as Robin Wednesbury, possibly Robert DeNiro as Gully Foyle.
OK, your turn, netland! You, too, can be a producer!
Kenn Barry
NASA-Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA
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Electric Avenue: {dual,hao,menlo70,hplabs}!ames-lm!barrygrw@fortune.UUCP (Glenn Wichman) (05/07/84)
[not quite S-F but...]
If there is one series I would like to see translated to celluloid,
it is Zelazny's Amber series. It would have to be directed by someone
who has a good feeling for motivation & character, AND a good sense of
epic fantasy (no easy task). Art direction would need to be given to
someone with a GREAT imagination! [unfortunately, it'll never happen.
After what Hollywood did to Damnation Alley, Zelazny will never sell
movie rights again]. This could even be a made-for-TV-epic...
As for the cast, that takes some thought...it's been a while since
I read the books, so I don't remember the minor characters too well.
...but here goes...
Corwin . . . Mel Gibson
Random . . . Sting
Oberon . . . Marlon Brando (if you could get him) or Sean Connery?
Eric . . . . Malcolm McDowell
Dworkin . . Burgess Merideth
-Glennmcq@druxt.UUCP (McQueerRL) (05/08/84)
[]--- One of the mistakes movie makers seem to make, at least in my opinion, is attempting to do movie versions of LONG novels and series of novels. I await the Dune movie with a great deal of trepidation for this reason. "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke impressed me as perfect for a good movie. The only rub would be getting a screen writer to do the ending as intended. Some of John Brunner's stuff might make good celluloid, if done carefully. "The Sheep Look Up", and "Stand On Zanzibar" especially. Longer works, but I think enough of the bulk is external description - that sort of thing translates well to film and compresses. I think a movie could do a lot for depicting Brunner's extrapolation of disturbing future societies. If done badly they could be really awful, though. An atrocious adaptation was done of Zelazny's "Damnation Alley". This was a shame because the novel is one which should have made a good movie. Note that this is not one of my favorite novels, or even one of my favorite Zelazny novels. I'm just noting that it should have been good movie material. Most of the novels I've really liked would NOT make good movies. Oh well. Bob McQueer ihnp4!druxt!mcq
jdb@qubix.UUCP (Jeff Bulf) (05/10/84)
How about Larry Niven's Ringworld, (and naturally the sequel as a separate
film)? Seems to me like a natural for a big-budget wide-screen production. Can
you picture the effects on approaching the Ringworld from the outside? This is
such a natural that I dont see how any competent director could blow it.
On t'other hand...
Whom would you trust with Zalazny's Lord of Light? This is one of the all
time treasures of subtle irony Also of richness in detail? Kubrik could handle
the ongoing irony of the book, but he lacks the humanity for the characters.
Mike Nichols? Could he handle the complexity without it slipping from his grasp?
(al la Catch-22).
A third candidate for moviedom: Heinlein's "By His Bootstraps". 'Nuff said.
--
Dr Memory
...{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!qubix!jdbmatt@oddjob.UChicago.UUCP (Matt Crawford) (05/13/84)
I also think that several of Niven's "Known Space" novels would make good movies. In particular I think that there has been no real portrayal of aliens as complete characters in the movies. Several of Niven's characters would provide somewhat greater depth than previous attempts. You are free to claim that Chmeee and Phssthpok are flat compared to, say, human characters in Casablanca or GWTW, but the competition in sf films is with the likes of Chewbacca and E.T. (Who knows what the hell they're thinking about?), Yoda (of the one-track mind), or the Blob. Any counter-examples? ___________________________________________________ Matt ARPA: crawford@anl-mcs.arpa Crawford UUCP: ihnp4!oddjob!matt
bbanerje@sjuvax.UUCP (B. Banerjee) (05/15/84)
>> How about Larry Niven's Ringworld, (and naturally the sequel as a >> separate film)? Seems to me like a natural for a big-budget >> wide-screen production. Can you picture the effects on approaching the >> Ringworld from the outside? This is such a natural that I dont see how >> any competent director could blow it. >> Movies made from long novels are invariably disappointing, as there is so much material that must be left out. The ideal length of a story to make a movie out of is the "long short story" or the novelette. I'm expecting a massive letdown with Dune. Regards -- Binayak Banerjee {allegra | astrovax | bpa | burdvax}!sjuvax!bbanerje P.S. Send Flames, I love mail.
jab@uokvax.UUCP (05/16/84)
#R:druxt:-96600:uokvax:3900029:000:554 uokvax!jab May 15 20:08:00 1984 /***** uokvax:net.movies / druxt!mcq / 7:46 pm May 8, 1984 */ One of the mistakes movie makers seem to make, at least in my opinion, is attempting to do movie versions of LONG novels and series of novels. Most of the novels I've really liked would NOT make good movies. Oh well. Bob McQueer ihnp4!druxt!mcq /* ---------- */ But gee, there have been SO MANY good ones. There was "Lord of the Rings," "Excalibur," and all the "Tarzan" movies. (The last two weren't from one book, but sorta fall into that class also.) Jeff Bowles Lisle, IL
crigney@uok.UUCP (05/18/84)
#R:druxt:-96600:uok:5100012:000:333 uok!crigney May 18 02:06:00 1984 Hey Jeff, I hope you meant to put a :-) on that - is "But gee," a synonym? I'd like to see Titan made into a movie, if they could do a proper job on the alien scenery. Speaking of budget-busting effects, how about The Mote in God's Eye? Especially the Warrior battle scene. Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!uok!crigney ..!duke!uok!crigney
emjej@uokvax.UUCP (05/23/84)
#R:druxt:-96600:uokvax:3900033:000:691 uokvax!emjej May 23 00:29:00 1984 /***** uokvax:net.movies / jab / 8:08 pm May 15, 1984 */ But gee, there have been SO MANY good ones. There was "Lord of the Rings," "Excalibur," and all the "Tarzan" movies. (The last two weren't from one book, but sorta fall into that class also.) Jeff Bowles Lisle, IL /* ---------- */ Oy! Boorman's *Excalibur*, among the good adaptations??? I hope this is meant in jest. "That's it!...That's it!" Merlin, ad nauseam in *Excalibur* James Jones Say, wasn't the fellow who portrayed Merlin in said movie the same fellow who has done various demented priest types in *Dr. Who* (I refer to the episode in which the Doctor met Leela, and the one with the Minotaur clone)?